


A Complicated Existence

by ANGSWIN



Series: Forever Rose [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Sarah Jane Adventures
Genre: "Torchwood" references, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Explanations, Female Friendship, Gen, Post-Canon, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-25
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:47:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21557266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ANGSWIN/pseuds/ANGSWIN
Summary: Sarah Jane gets a surprise visit from an old friend.
Relationships: (Past) Metacrisis Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler, Sarah Jane Smith & Rose Tyler
Series: Forever Rose [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2114547
Comments: 18
Kudos: 34
Collections: Public Call - Doctor Who fic exchange 2019





	A Complicated Existence

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Merfilly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/gifts).



> Written for the 2019 Public Call - Doctor Who Fic Exchange  
> Requested pairing: Rose Tyler & Sarah Jane Smith
> 
> FYI: This fic is really a prequel to _Forever Rose_ \- my Twelfth Doctor/Rose reunion fic. However, it an be read as a stand-alone story, as well.

At 13 Bannerman Road, Sarah Jane was hard at work up in her office with her supercomputer, Mr. Smith. In fact, she was so intent on her attempts to unravel the mysteries of her current investigation, one that she was sure involved aliens with telekinetic abilities, that she did not even hear the approach of K9.

“Mistress, there is a visitor at the door,” the faithful metal dog announced upon his arrival…just a second before the door chime itself sounded.

At the sound of both the familiar voice and then the secondary knock upon the downstairs door, Sarah Jane looked up in surprise to be greeted by the sight of the robotic dog wagging his stiff metallic tail. It was hard to tell with K9 sometimes, but he actually seemed to be excited about _something._ However, when Sarah Jane questioned him about the identity of the visitor, he would only say that it was “a friend to Mistress.” 

Of course, that description instantly brought the idea of the Doctor to the front of her thoughts, but Sarah Jane dismissed them immediately. Even though she had actually seen the Time Lord a few times* since they had faced the Daleks together with their friends to thwart Davros’s plan for the Reality Bomb, she knew without a doubt that K9 would have informed her immediately if his beloved _Master_ was present. Therefore, Sarah Jane did not know what...or whom...to expect as she went down to answer the door. After all, with her colorful past, unusual occupation, and nontraditional approach to family, she led quite a complicated existence…and she had met _a lot_ of interesting people along the way, as well. 

Nevertheless, despite all of that, the sight of the visitor on her stoop still took her breath away for a moment. For many reasons, the blonde woman who stood there was definitely _not_ on the list of anyone that she would have guessed!

“Rose...Rose Tyler?” she asked incredulously. After all, it had been several years since she had last seen the woman during the memorable occasion about which she had just been thinking. Sarah Jane had not known what had happened to Rose after that event – or how the obviously complicated and awkward situation with the Metacrisis had played out. In fact, she had not found out until the Doctor had shown up _alone_ for her disastrous wedding in order to help her defeat the Trickster. Afterwards, even though she had been understandably upset over her own situation and the loss of Peter, Sarah Jane had still requested that the Doctor tell her about the aftermath of the previous adventure that they had all shared. 

It was not until then that she learned that the Doctor had left Rose in her parallel universe with his Metacrisis. At the news, Sarah Jane’s heart had ached for both the younger woman and her old friend – especially since she had seen firsthand how much they had cared about each other. However, in the end, even though she did not necessarily agree with his decision, she understood his rationale. After all, Rose and the Metacrisis were both human…while the Doctor was not. Consequently, _they_ could have the kind of life together that _he_ could never experience. As she watched the Time Lord’s face while he explained the complicated situation, it was obvious to Sarah Jane that he had willingly sacrificed his own happiness in order to give Rose a chance to experience hers.

Those bittersweet thoughts and memories were interrupted and Sarah Jane’s mind was dragged back into the present, however, when the woman at her door finally spoke in the cheerfully casual style that was very reminiscent of every version of the Doctor that Sarah Jane had ever known.

“Hello, Sarah Jane,” Rose greeted her warmly. “I know that it’s been a long time, but I was just in the neighborhood and I wanted to come by and see you.”

Even though Rose spoke in a friendly and confident tone, Sarah Jane had known the Doctor for too long not to recognize the look of someone who made it a habit to bury their feelings under a cheerfully manic façade. She obviously did not know the particulars of whatever probable convoluted situation had _really_ brought Rose to her door, but she instantly knew that it had to be something of importance. Regardless, besides all of that, she was genuinely happy to see the younger woman again, anyway. Consequently, she immediately drew Rose into an affectionate embrace.

“Oh my dear, never mind all that.” Sarah Jane reassured her. “I told you before that you are welcome here anytime -no matter what. Please come in.” She then led her unexpected…but certainly not unwelcome…guest into the house, installed her upon the sofa, and made her some tea.

~~~~~

While they steadily worked their way to the bottom of the teapot together, they also engaged in the kind of mindless small talk into which old acquaintances instinctively tend to fallc. However, after the initial round of automatic and polite chit chat and comments about the weather, a slight hush fell between them. Sarah Jane took that lull as an opportunity to study the younger woman carefully as she wondered about the true purpose of her visit. At first glance, she wondered about the fact that Rose seemed to look almost exactly the same as she had the last time they had been together. She had really not changed a bit…nor did she look any older, either. 

Sarah Jane was not an investigative reporter for nothing, though. Upon closer examination, she could easily see the truth reflected in the woman’s carefully guarded eyes. In fact, it was very similar to the few times that the Doctor had unshielded enough to enable Sarah Jane to see the _real_ him inside of the persona he usually displayed to the world. It was then that she realized a similar truth about her visitor, as well. Rose was actually much older and more world-weary than she initially appeared to be.

Even though the Doctor had always tried to avoid awkward or personal questions, Sarah Jane thought that the Rose she had previously known would probably appreciate a more direct approach. Therefore, she decided to forge ahead and broach the important question. 

“Forgive me for asking, Rose,” she gently ventured, “but _when_ are you?” It was a strange question that surely would have confused anyone but the most seasoned of time travelers. However, Rose understood her meaning immediately.

“So you have guessed, yeah?” she answered with a small ironic smile that did not quite reach her eyes. “Let’s just say that the last time I saw you…when we all fought against the Daleks together…was a _long_ time ago for me. I don’t know exactly how long it has been here – especially since time moves a little differently over in the other universe…and when you factor in all of the time-travel, as well…” she paused and shrugged. “Well, it has been _at least_ fifty-two linear years for me. Of course, that doesn't mean much since I have lost track of how much non-linear travel I have also done during that time.” 

“Over _fifty_ years!” Sarah Jane whispered in a breathy incredulous tone as her suspicions were confirmed. “So you are now…” her voice trailed off as she waved her hand at Rose’s person in order to indicate the incongruity of her appearance. Rose finished her statement for her with a little snort of amusement. 

“Old? Different? Not-quite-human anymore? Yeah, you could say all that,” she answered in a light tone that was belied by the serious look in her eyes.

Sarah Jane saw the look, but could not help but to ask. “How...why?” 

“It’s complicated,” Rose answered with another shrug, “but as usual, it all comes back to the Doctor. Well, the Doctor _and_ Bad Wolf.” At Sarah Jane’s confused look for the last reference, Rose sighed and explained further. “Oh, I forgot that those words probably don’t mean anything to you.” She paused to take a deep breath before she started to explain the complicated situation. “Well, back when I traveled with my _first_ Doctor…”

A sudden thought caused her to pause and she looked over at Sarah Jane curiously. “Did you ever meet _him?”_ she asked and a small, more heartfelt smile this time ghosted across her lips as she clarified. “Short hair, big ears, steel blue eyes, leather jacket, and a seriously snarky attitude?” 

Sarah Jane shook her head in the negative. “No, I guess that I didn’t ever get to have that pleasure…not unless I simply did not realize it was him at the time. I doubt it, though - especially since your second Doctor seemed so surprised to see me,” she answered truthfully. “In fact, I didn’t even really know that you knew more than one incarnation, either…much less that you stayed with him through a regeneration. I shouldn’t be surprised, though, because I saw how close you two were…and that obviously was not something that happened overnight.” Sarah Jane’s words trailed off again when Rose nodded in affirmation…even though her eyes had grown suspiciously moist for a moment.

After the brief look of pain at the mention of her relationship with the Doctor…both versions of him…subsided, Rose continued to explain. “It all started when I tried to save my first Doctor…ironically from the Dalek Emperor and his fleet…who are the apparent indestructible cockroaches of the universe." She paused to sigh. "At any rate, it was then that I looked into the heart of the TARDIS…and she also looked into me. The result of our joined consciousness created _Bad Wolf -_ at least until the Doctor took the power...and the memory...from me before it could kill me. From that day on, however, I was physically changed by the sheer power of the Vortex, even though I did not fully realize it until after John and I were married. That’s when my memories of the event returned. That's also when we realized that I had stopped aging and that my cells automatically repaired themselves when damaged. Apparently, it is my own constant little version of regeneration.”

“John was the Metacrisis.” Sarah Jane guessed aloud as she remembered just how often the Doctor had used _John Smith_ as an alias when she traveled with him full time - even as she marveled at the incredible story that Rose had just shared with her. 

“Yeah!” The smile on Rose’s face was brighter this time and lasted much longer as she explained. “He needed a new identity over in Pete’s World, because simply being known as just “The Doctor” wouldn’t work for our life on the slow path there. Therefore, he chose Jonathan…John for short…as his first name. However, I _insisted_ that Smith was not an option this time around, so he chose Noble instead.” 

“For Donna,” Sarah Jane guessed again and Rose nodded. 

“He thought of her as a sister – especially since they _literally_ shared DNA because of the Metacrisis event.” Rose paused and looked reflective. “He told me later what had happened to her…what he knew the Doctor would have to do to her to ensure her safety. I’m really sorry that she had to forget, though. What she did was amazing…and I really would have liked to see her again. We didn’t get to spend much time together outside of that horrible little alternate pocket universe that had formed around her.”

Even though Sarah Jane did not know anything about the AU situation that Rose described, she still nodded in understanding and commiseration. After all, she had seen stranger things - both during her travels with the Doctor and through her own work. Plus, after he had told her about Rose and the Metacrisis, the Doctor had explained Donna’s sad fate to her, as well. It was the only way he could be sure that she would not try to seek out the fiery ginger woman on purpose…or try to reminisce with her if she ever accidentally ran into her on the street… or something similar.

Meanwhile, however, Rose continued her story. “John and I were married for almost fifty-one years…until his heart…his very _human_ heart…gave out…and I just…” the woman’s voice cracked a little with emotion then before she could finish the sentence. At that point, Sarah Jane finally understood why Rose was there…both in her home in particular and in the universe in general…and she quickly moved to give the obviously still-grieving widow a hug.

As she comforted Rose, Sarah Jane was suddenly grateful that Luke had decided to spend the weekend with Clyde. Her brilliant son had come a long way since he had awakened from his creation at the hands of the Bane, but he still sometimes struggled with complex human emotions. Consequently, she knew that it would be next to impossible that he would understand such an emotionally complicated situation that had literally arrived on their doorstep…even if Sarah Jane could ever figure out a way to explain it all to him in the first place.

~~~~~

The two women continued to talk late into the night while Rose answered all of Sarah Jane’s questions about her life in Pete's World and what she had been doing since her husband had died. Consequently, the other woman learned that Rose had returned to her Prime Universe after that sad event simply because her John had made her promise to do so. He felt that she could have a much happier life there in the long run. In fact, after her parents had passed away, Rose and her husband had even moved to the Cardiff in Pete’s World in order to be close to the Rift there. 

According to John’s calculations (Despite his weaker human body, he had still retained his brilliant Time Lord brain power)… with the right magnitude of an energy surge from the right spot in the Rift …Rose could slip straight through the interdimensional walls there… and it would allow her to cross over the Void into the correct universe without any permanent damage to either side of the Dimensional Divide. Not only that, but her husband had also deduced that the position of the resulting “Rift Bridge” would then deposit her almost literally into the lap of the man who could help her the most upon her arrival. 

“That had been the plan anyway,” Rose told Sarah Jane. “However, even though John had been correct about my way back, when I arrived in _this_ Cardiff, the Torchwood hub was gone…and Jack was nowhere to be found! In fact, when I asked around, someone from one of the local restaurants told me that there had been a huge explosion in that area during the weird situation with the children.**

Sarah Jane nodded at that information. It fit into what she knew, as well. Even though Luke had not been affected with the rest of the world's children…probably because of his unusual genetic background…Sarah Jane had still made a point to investigate the strange occurrence when she heard the same tragic story about the man who had fought with them against the Daleks. She had feared the worst, however, since there had been no further word from Jack Harkness after the disaster. Oddly enough, though, Rose did not seem to share her dark fears for the charming man.

“After I first got trapped in Pete's World...but before the Metacrisis event...the Doctor apparently spent a lot of time with Jack. Since John also retained all of the full Time Lord’s memories up to the point of their separation, he knew the truth about Jack, as well. That’s how I know for a fact that our dear Captain is alive and well out there somewhere…and I will find him eventually.” She paused to smile with confidence. "After all, because of Bad Wolf, we apparently have a lot more in common now than just our travels with the Doctor." As Sarah Jane pondered the obvious meaning behind that intriguing statement, the smile on Rose's face faded a bit as she continued her story.

“I am afraid, though, that when I could not find him upon my arrival, I panicked a bit. I was not in a good state of mind at the time since my husband had just…well…and I didn’t know where else I could find someone that I trusted completely - especially since neither John nor I knew where Mickey had ended up after he decided to stay here on _this_ Earth. In addition to all that, Rose Tyler no longer officially existed here...and John had even told me once that my name was actually on the Canary Wharf Memorial. Therefore, I felt like I just couldn’t stay…not yet...and so I went off-planet again for a while. I traveled around as I searched for Jack at all of his favorite hotspots that we had traveled to together, as well as the ones that he had just told me about visiting when he was still with the Time Agency. I haven't had much luck, though, just one missed connection after another." She sighed before she continued.

"At any rate, in the process, I helped out here and there…wherever I was needed, really…until I unexpectedly found myself on a lovely little planet with the simple designation of _SJ._ Of course that name made me think of _you_ …and our first adventure when we met and fought the Krillitanes together. *** It was then that I finally remembered the kind invitation that you gave to me back then. After I realized that I finally felt well enough to visit Earth again, I came straight here. I have to tell you that it has been so nice to see such a familiar and friendly face again after all of this time. Meeting new people is nice, but there is nothing more comfortable than meeting up with an old friend again, yeah?”

Sarah Jane showed her agreement for that sentiment with a warm smile of her own and a comforting pat on her friend’s hand as she took that opportunity to fill in some of the obvious blank spaces in Rose's knowledge of her friends here on this Earth. After all, Sarah Jane was able to inform her that Mickey had joined up with UNIT soon after their combined adventure and that a year later she had also attended his wedding to Martha. She smiled again at Rose’s exclamation at that news. 

"Good for them!" the woman cried out in honest joy. "Mickey deserves to be happy. I am so glad that he found someone like Martha who can truly understand him!" 

Sarah Jane then also reassured the woman that she was welcome to stay for as long as she liked…since she also remembered the conversation that the two of them had at the end of that adventure. She had been afraid back then that the Doctor would end up breaking Rose's heart. Nothing, however, could have prepared her for the actual truth of the event. Nevertheless, the thought of the Time Lord brought an important question to the front of her mind.

“Are you planning to look for… _him?”_ Sarah Jane asked with honest curiosity as her head whirled at the possibilities of what it must be like to love two men with the same face. “You do know that he has regenerated again since we defeated the Daleks?” 

“Yeah, I do,” Rose replied softly. “John felt it when it happened. After that, the tenuous connection that they had somehow maintained between the universes since their separation just went dark. It was a rough time…for both of us.” She paused in reflection. “I do know however that my meeting with the Doctor is inevitable…but I also know that it is not quite our time... _yet._ ” Rose heaved a heavy sigh at the thought. “In fact, I am going to do everything possible to stay out of his way for a while.”

“Why?" Sarah Jane inquired gently. "I know that you are still in mourning for your husband, but don’t you think that _he_ could help you?” 

“I _know_ that he could...and that he will... _eventually,”_ Rose replied with stark honesty. “However, despite my own thoughts and feelings on the matter, I also know for a fact that he has things that he needs to accomplish before we can meet again…before we can even start thinking about _us.”_

“How can you possibly know _that?”_ Sarah Jane asked as the curiosity of her inner-investigative reporter again rose to the surface...as well as the kind heart that only wanted the best for her friends who had already been kept apart for far too long.

“John told me, of course," was the answer, "…and didn’t I mention that I can see timelines now, as well?”

“What?!” Sarah Jane was stunned at that news - especially since she knew from everything that the Doctor ever told her that it was a skill that only Time Lords should possess. 

"Trust me, it surprised me, too - especially since it wasn't something I could do until I came back to this universe," Rose answered with a little smile of amusement at Sarah Jane's reaction. "In fact, I thought that I was going crazy...or even dying...the first time I accidentally tapped into my timeline and my life literally flashed before my eyes. Now, I truly understand why _he_ avoids doing it unless it is completely necessary...and I can't even see all of them…not like he can." Rose demurred. "In truth, I can only see mine…and how it interacts with his. I really think that when Bad Wolf saw all of time and space, she also saw that the Doctor and I were going to be separated...and she gave that skill to me as a guide…a clock or countdown of sorts to let me know when it could be _our_ time again. After all, when I finally got up enough courage, I did follow the lines long enough to see that they do intersect permanently...but not until _much_ further down the line." Rose paused in thought. "That's probably for the best - especially since it has not been that long since John...and for the simple and irreversible fact that the Doctor has to get married to someone else first."

"What?!" the usually calm Sarah Jane actually shrieked that time. She noticed that the little smile had completed disappeared from the woman's face when Rose attempted to explain everything that John had known about the complicated River Song situation from their interactions during their one and only meeting at the Library. Rose might have understood how it would all have to play out...but she was obviously still human enough that simply _understanding_ it did not mean that she had to _like_ the idea, at all!

~~~~~

That particular dropped bombshell had required another pot of tea to fully process as Rose took the opportunity to move away from the painful topic of Doctor’s marriage in order to explain all about her new abilities…and to tell Sarah Jane about her new friend, as well.

“Wait! Does this all mean that you have a TARDIS, too?” The shock was evident in the woman’s tone. 

“I do!” Rose explained with the first truly happy grin since her arrival. “The Doctor and Donna gave us a seed from the Old Girl…and a few tips about how to speed up the growing process…before they left us over there on the beach for good. It took over ten years on the slow path for her to become operational…but I certainly could not have done _any_ of this without the assistance and support of the my TARDIS. I call her the _New Girl,_ by the way."

She then gestured for Sarah Jane to look out of the window. Sure enough, parked across the street, in the exact same spot that the Doctor liked to utilize when he visited, was the tell-tale ripple of a perception filter. Once Sarah Jane refocused her eyes on the area in question, the sight of a traditional red phone booth solidified in her field of vision. 

“Is that her?” Sarah Jane marveled at the sight.

“She’s beautiful, yeah?” Rose answered proudly. “She is full of personality, too. Her Chameleon Circuit is in perfect working order, but the cheeky ship that she is prefers that particular look over any other one. Now doesn’t that remind you of the Doctor’s TARDIS?” she asked with a smirk…and Sarah Jane could only nod her head in agreement.

“I will introduce you two later…and we will go for a ride, yeah?” Rose offered.

Sarah Jane found that she was eager to meet the new TARDIS, but she still feigned indifference at first. “That depends,” she answered in a joking manner. “Are you a better driver than the Doctor? I would hate to be left in Aberdeen again!”

“I think that goes without saying! Isn’t _everybody_ a better driver than the Doctor _?”_ Rose was now able to joke at the thought, as well. “John taught me everything he knew...but then the New Girl stepped in and taught me the _right_ way to do it. Therefore, at the very least, I feel confident enough to promise you that I won’t bring you back home twelve months late.” 

Sarah Jane half-gasped and half-laughed at the idea. “Oh, no! Tell me he didn’t…did he?” she asked incredulously.

“Unfortunately, he did,” Rose answered with a smile at the memory that grew even brighter when she added, “and my mum slapped him silly for it.” 

Sarah Jane thought about the spunky Jackie Tyler she had met and smiled at the thought of her holding her own against the Doctor. Then, the mother in her thought about how terrible she would feel if somebody had disappeared with Luke for an entire year. Consequently, a heartfelt “Good for her!” was her emphatic response.

It was then, after both Rose and Sarah Jane shared a yawn, that they finally realized just how late of an hour it was. Ironically, the time had just flown by while they had been talking, and it soon became clear that the rollercoaster of emotions that they had just experienced and relived together had thoroughly exhausted both of the newly reacquainted friends. 

“Despite all of my changes, unlike _him,_ I still need nightly rest,” Rose admitted after she echoed yet another one of Sarah Jane’s contagious yawns - and they both laughed - right before she politely declined Sarah Jane’s sincere offer of the use of her guest room. After all, Rose had the best of accommodations and everything else that she could possibly need aboard her TARDIS. However, before they parted for the night, the two women shared a hug and a promise of more conversation on the following day.

~~~~~

Rose eagerly introduced Sarah Jane to the New Girl over breakfast the next morning. The young TARDIS warmly welcomed the woman whom she “remembered” from her Mother’s transferred data and shared DNA with a deep hum…and a cup of the same tea blend that Sarah Jane had favored during her days on the former TARDIS. After they had eaten...and the new ship had been thoroughly toured and admired...Rose suggested that they retire to the library in order to continue their discussion. There...even though Sarah Jane still had questions...Rose insisted that she had talked about herself long enough. Instead, she requested to hear more about Sarah Jane’s life. After all, she knew that her friend had led quite the extraordinary existence, as well. 

After a bit of urging, the woman told her all about her day job as a freelance reporter and her unofficial paranormal investigations that usually ended up including extraterrestrials of some sort – including the current case with the probable telekinetic aliens. Then her face lit up as she also described the unique little teenage family that she had acquired after she had “adopted” her son. 

Rose's heart warmed at the sight of her friend's obvious happiness...but she could also admit to the small stab of envy that she felt, as well. For many reasons, children had never been an option for her and John. In the end, though, she realized that it had probably been for the best - especially given the extremely complicated existence that she led. Therefore, she forcibly shook off her malaise and made a request. In response, Sarah Jane happily took her into the house and up to her office to introduce her to Mr. Smith…and to reacquaint her with K9, too! 

"Rose Tyler…Rose Tyler!" K9 all but yipped with robotic excitement as he shook his little metal tail with all of his might during their reunion.

Rose smiled brightly at such a greeting and gave the unusual canine a happy pat. “Definitely not just a tin dog,” she said with another bright smile at the memory of Mickey’s comparison of himself with the Sarah Jane's metal sidekick during their first meeting. She then turned back to her hostess. 

“Now…tell me more about this investigation that you are working on,” she insisted with an interested sparkle in her eye. “Maybe I can help. In fact, it sounds an awful lot like the Anpalussians might be up to their old tricks again here in this universe, as well.”

“Anpalussians?” Sarah Jane asked skeptically. "I've never heard of them."

“I'm not positive about their existence here...but back in Pete’s World, travelers from Anaplus were well known to be galactic troublemakers,” Rose explained while Sarah Jane typed the missing information into Mister Smith’s databanks via the keyboard. “I can’t tell you how many times I had run-ins with them over the years.”

Sarah Jane could not help but to notice that Rose’s mannerisms became more and more animated as she continued to describe her previous encounters with that particular species. In fact, as she waved her hands around enthusiastically, the younger-looking woman reminded her so much of their mutual alien friend at that moment that Sarah Jane could not help but to smile at the nostalgia that she felt. _The two of them are going to be so good for each other whenever it is finally time for them to reunite for good_ , she thought. _I can only hope that I am still around to see it!_

_~~~~~_

Rose caught the amused look and returned it with an affectionate smile of her own as she realized that taking the time to reconnect with Sarah Jane had been exactly what she needed to help achieve closure in her healing process. She had obviously been isolated for far too long...and it felt really good to be with someone who understood her and what it was like to lead the complicated existence of a time and space traveller. She had originally thought that the best person to help would be Jack...but now she understood that perhaps Sarah Jane had been the better candidate all along. 

At that moment, she promised herself that she was not going to be like the Doctor and sacrifice her current happiness with such a wonderful friend just to save herself from the future pain when she eventually lost her for good. After all, Rose knew very well that the incredible journey together was worth the pain at the end. She had learned that lesson well through her life with her husband. In fact, she knew that, even with the heartbreak at his loss, she would not have changed that time with him for the world! She also knew that she would still go and find the Captain - because she had a feeling that Jack needed her as much as she needed him - but Rose also vowed that she would be back to see Sarah Jane often. After all, she had a magnificent time machine that would help her to spread out her visits very carefully in order to ensure that they could continue for as long as possible! 

~~~~~

Rose kept that resolution, too. After their first reunion, Rose did leave to continue her search for Jack...and to live her new life with her new abilities in the better way that the Doctor (all three versions of him that she had known and loved) had taught her...by helping whomever she could along the way. However, she also made a point to return to Earth and England often and became a frequent visitor to the Bannerman Road residence. In fact, she was soon so comfortable with the family there...and vice versa...that she affectionately became known as "Aunt Rose" to Luke and his friends...and then to Skye later on when the unusual young girl became the newest member of the already quite eclectic Smith family. The children (even as they grew into adults and beyond as time passed) all adored Rose and loved to hear stories about her travels and adventures with her Doctors...as well as the ones from her lone adventures with the New Girl. Of course, after she finally located the man, the highly-censored stories of her many exploits with her best friend, aka their beloved "Uncle Jack," were very popular, as well.

~~~~~

In fact, everyone was so used to expecting the unexpected from Aunt Rose, that none of them were surprised on the day when she arrived to visit with a gray-haired Scotsman in tow. Despite his protestations that his current body was not much of a hugger, the man's grumpy persona just could not stand up against Sarah Jane's enthusiasm when the now equally gray-haired woman threw herself into his arms with a quiet sound of joy - both at the sight of him and what his presence there obviously meant for her dear friends.

In the end, each and every one of them knew that it was such moments that made having a complicated existence so very worthwhile!

**Author's Note:**

> * _Doctor Who:_  
>  The Tenth Doctor - “The End of Time: Part 2”  
> (Season 4.5 : Episode 5)
> 
>  _The Sarah Jane Adventures:_  
>  The Tenth Doctor - “The Wedding of Sarah Jane”  
> (Season 3: Episodes 5 & 6)
> 
> The Eleventh Doctor - “The Death of the Doctor”  
> (Season 4: Episodes 5 & 6)
> 
> ** _Torchwood:_  
>  “The Children of Earth” (Season 3)
> 
> *** _Doctor Who:_  
>  “School Reunion” (Season 2: Episode 3)


End file.
